Anything For You
by SabreDae
Summary: Through sleepless nights and fairytale days, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark stand strong, but only because they would do anything for one another. Oneshot.


**A/N: I literally just finished the Hunger Games trilogy after reading all three books in three days. God, Mockingjay was so sad – I was properly tearing up in the final chapters. Anyway, I got this idea whilst I was reading Catching Fire and decided to go with it. It's my first Hunger Games fic, so I hope you'll all like it and I'd really appreciate some reviews. **

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><p><strong>Anything For You<strong>

_Fire burns all around me. It is after all catching. It spreads, claiming not only Prim and I but countless other unnamed children. Suddenly Peeta is beside me, choking on smoke, his head and forehead aflame. My voice catches in my throat as I desperately try to scream out his name. But no warning could save him, just like nothing can be done for Prim, whose whole body is covered in embers leaping and twisting up her body like tongues. _

_The scene changes and both Prim and Rue, so small and similar, are stood side by side in front of me. They gaze at me, their stare never ending until I feel so guilty I might scrunch into a ball and never unfold. It was my responsibility to keep them safe. I promised I would. Still, the pressure of their eyes upon me forces me to my knees and tears fall freely as I whisper over and over again, "I'm so sorry." _

_In a flash I'm back in the games and the mutts are bearing down on Peeta and me. Glimmer's eyes promise revenge and my blood runs cold. Peeta yells in agony as one of the mutt's teeth clamp around his leg. Then I'm looking into Finnick's tortured eyes as the lizard-like mutts tear him apart. His blue iris' haunt me wherever I run, the repugnant stench of roses following me just as effectively as the beasts' hisses. Tears threaten to fall and I realise that Peeta is no longer with me. I can't feel his hand encased in mine and I wonder when it was I left him behind to die with those awful muttations. I'm watching Mags turn into the mist. I'm hearing the groans of Gale as the whip lashes his back. _

_I can feel Peeta's hands locked around my throat, squeezing the life out of me. Next I'm trapped under Wiress' body, the waves beneath my back tugging me under water to the deaths of the fake ocean. _

I gasped as I woke, sucking wonderful air into my lungs. Part of my mind was convinced I could still feel my burns, my damaged throat. My clothes felt like they were sodden with water. My body felt like a tonne of water was pushing it into the mattress and then I realised that my clothes were wet because I was drenched in sweat and that I felt like I was suffocating in water because Peeta was hugging me tightly, soothing my sobs and cries.

My arms came up around his back, desperately hugging him closer, just like on the train for the victory tour. Burying my face in Peeta's soldier, I begin to forget the horrid scent of President Snow. But I can still see those scenes which will haunt me to my death. Prim, Rue, Finnick, Mags, Glimmer and all the rest of those I saw die or killed in the Games. I'd survived when everyone thought I was doomed to fail. They thought the odds were in my favour, but they're not. If they were my father would never have died, nor would Prim. Or Rue. They were both too innocent for their horrendous deaths.

"Ssh," Peeta murmured, rocking me gently. He whispered words of gentle assurance. "You're fine, you're safe."

"But _they're_ not," I cried, remembering Cinna, Finnick, Mags, Prim, Rue, Wiress, Glimmer, Cato, Thresh, Peeta's family and all the other people who've died because of me.

"Ssh," Peeta said, sitting me up and rubbing my back. "It's okay…it's okay…everything's going to be okay…"

But from his weary tone, I know he's has had the old nightmares too. His were worse than mine – though he tried to hide it from me – because not only does he remember the arena, but he's stuck with the memories of his torture at the hands of Snow. He hasn't forgotten the times he almost killed me, and when he saw what he did in his dreams, he woke just as tortured as me. Normally, I would be woken by his cries of terror, his desperate finding of my hand just to reassure himself that he didn't kill me.

Instead, I slept through it, caught in my own nightmares.

I only just had time to pull myself together and dry my eyes when they come skipping in, and I realised that already it was daytime and the sun was in the sky. Shouldering the burden, I smiled as brightly as I could manage and pulled my little Prim up onto the bed and into my arms.

Peeta kissed her head and my lips, picking up Jay (named by Peeta, a shortening of my own title, the Mockingjay) and tickling him senseless.

In daytime, Peeta knew securely who he was. And even though he was not the same boy I fought to protect in the 74th Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell, he still had that determination to save that which was closest to him. He is the best possible father to our two young children, the children we thought we would never have. Regardless, in that respect Peeta never changed. I always knew he would be a great father. I know I have changed too. I didn't have such a cold, indifferent exterior. I loved and lost too many people for that. But I didn't wear my heart on my sleeve either, except perhaps where it came to Peeta, Prim and Jay. For them, I would do anything.

After hugging us, Jay and Prim race downstairs for their breakfast, leaving me in Peeta's arms, the place I came to know so well. It still felt like the first time and I felt the familiar wanting ache in my heart, coercing me into to snuggling closer into him and smiling softly as he placed a kiss on my nose.

"Peeta," I muttered.

"Hmm?"

"We should really go downstairs…" I trailed off, as he kissed me again, his lips against mine resulting in small moans.

"Are you sure?" Peeta asked with a bit of a smirk.

"They'll be tearing the house apart," I warned, looking at the floor to remind him that our children were down there.

"They get that from you," Peeta accused lightly. It was true. I always was troublesome and my children were too.

I laughed lightly, something I found myself doing more and more of during the day, when I was able to distract myself from the night terrors.

"Come on," I beckoned, getting to my feet and pulling him along behind me. He stumbled off the bed, and then walked smoothly on his real and prosthetic leg.

I had been right. Prim and Jay had already made a mess in the kitchen and left the TV running whilst they fought on the floor.

Joining them, Peeta hurled himself to the floor and picked up Prim, tossing her in the air before catching her in his strong arms.

"And the young Mellark lady is overcome. She's out of the battle and it's the father and son left the fight it out!" He crowed. I rolled my eyes as Prim came running over to me and hugged my knees.

Seating her on my hip, I grabbed a piece of bread Peeta had baked yesterday and ate it, relishing its wonderful taste despite the slight staleness.

I missed whether Peeta or Jay won, but they were soon at my side and Haymitch was walking through the door, unsurprisingly staggering a little.

"Uncle Hay," chorused Prima and Jay.

He staggered back a few steps as though he couldn't see them clearly before reaching down and hugging them tightly. He'd surprised us all with his care for them. Sometimes, he even managed to stay sober for them.

"What's say we go to the Hob," Haymitch suggested. "Give your parents some alone time, hmm?"

I groaned. The Hob wasn't the same one I'd grown up with, it was just a tavern now, but I still didn't want Haymitch allowing my children to drink.

"Lighten up, Katniss," Haymitch instructed. "We'll just have a meal."

Peeta nodded and told them to go, saying we'd catch up later and join them for lunch.

Haymitch left, holding both Jay and Prim's small hands, taking them from Victor's Village down to the Seam. Everything had been rebuilt and was better than before. There were no peacekeepers, no tesserae and no games.

Taking my hand, Peeta walked with me to the door to watch them go. We stood beside the primroses Peeta had planted with me, and I took the moment to remember her, my dearest sister. I would never regret taking her place in the Hunger Games, but I would always regret that I hadn't forbade Coin from sending her to the Capitol.

Peeta squeezed my shoulder and kissed my temple, unable to find words to help me.

It had always been that way when it came to Prim. She'd been everything to me; not in the same way as Peeta, but I had at times raised her and I loved her more than I cared for myself. She brought out the best in me, turning me from the heartless, distant person everyone thought I was; into the kind, caring person I'd become.

"We can go inside if you want," Peeta said gently.

I merely shook my head. Despite how much time had passed, it would never be any easier. I no longer blamed myself the way I used to; but I couldn't shift the fault all the way onto someone else's shoulders. I just had remember that she wouldn't have wanted me to suffer. That was the only thought that made it a little easier.

"No thanks. I'm fine," I told him.

"Still, you know I'll always do anything for you."

I nodded. "Just like I would for you," I replied and kissed him briefly, before strolling towards the Hob with him.

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><p><strong>AN: So, please hit that review button and tell me how I did. I'm actually a bit nervous, and I was slightly reserved about posting this story, because after only reading the books through once, I'm not too familiar with the characters. Probably just being paranoid by thinking they're OOC, but if they are please tell me! Anyway, thank you so much for reading!  
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